JPH04229132A - Colored cellulose casing with transparent, slender range - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To make it possible to observe the color development at the time of processing of sausages by constituting a cellulose tube of first and second longitudinal long parts and longitudinally and continuously dispersing and incorporating specific coloring agents or pacifiers into the one part. CONSTITUTION: The slender cellulose tube 50 having a moisture content of <100wt.% based on the weight of completely dried cellulose is composed of the first slender part 53 and the second slender part 54. The coloring agents or pacifiers are longitudinally and continuously dispersed or incorporated into at least the one part thereof. The optical value different from the optical value of the other part is imparted to this part. Further, the surface area of the second part 54 to the first part 53 is set at about >=1:1 and the average opacity of the first part 53 is set larger by about >=0.5 than the value of the average opacity of the second part 54. The difference in the average opacity between the first part 53 and the second part 54 is set at <10 and the difference in the respective average values of any of the L value, (a) value or (b) value in the first part 53 and the second part 54 is set at about >=5.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to food casings of cellulosic material, such as sausage casings, and their optical properties and visual appearance.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Food casings used in the processed food industry are generally thin-walled tubes of various diameters made from regenerated cellulose, cellulose derivatives, etc. be.

Cellulose food casings generally have multifunctional uses in that they can be used as containers during the processing of the food products contained therein and can also serve as protective packaging materials for the final product. In the seasoned ground meat industry for sausages, the production of different types of sausages, such as frankfurters, in different sizes involves removing the casing from the nearly processed meat before final packaging. These sausages from which the casing is removed are generally processed in non-fibre reinforced (non-fibrous) cellulose casings. However, larger diameter sausages such as salami are often sold with the casing intact. These sausages are usually packaged in fiber-reinforced (fibrous) cell casings.

[0004] In the manufacture of non-fibrous regenerated cellulose sausage casings, viscose is typically extruded through an annular die into a coagulation and regeneration bath to form regenerated cellulose tubes. The tube is then cleaned, plasticized, for example with glycerin, and dried, for example by inflation under sufficient air pressure. After drying, the casing is wound onto a reel and then
No. 451,827, No. 3,454,981, No. 3,454
, No. 982, No. 3,461,484, No. 3,988,80
4 and 4,818,551. In the shirring process, typically a length of about 40 to about 200 feet of casing is compressed (shirred) into a tubular stick of about 4 to about 30 inches. The shirred casing stick is packaged and provided to a meat processor to unscramble the casing stick, typically at very high speeds, while filling the unshirred casing with meat emulsion. Subsequently, the meat is heat treated and the casing is then processed from the processed meat in a high speed peeler.

[0005] For fibrous casings, manufacturing methods similar to those for non-fibrous casings are used, but viscose is usually formed by winding a web of paper so that the opposing side edges overlap. extruded onto one or both sides of the tube. In the manufacture of fibrous casings, paper tubes are impregnated with viscose where it coagulates and regenerates to create fiber-reinforced tubes of regenerated cellulose. Fibrous or paper reinforcement is generally used for annular casings with a diameter of 40 mm or more, especially to provide dimensional stability during filling with meat emulsion. The manufacture of both non-fibrous and fibrous casings is well known in the art, and the present invention may employ such well-known methods.

[0006] Cellulose casings are typically humidified just enough to shirt to prevent accidental breakage due to fragility of the casing, but even so, humidification may cause the shirring of the casing to occur during the shirring operation. The level must be low enough to prevent excessive adhesion to equipment, eg, mandrels. Wetting agents are often used to moderate moisture retention and expansion of the casing to produce a casing with sufficient flexibility without excessive expansion or sticking during the shirring operation. A lubricant, such as an oil, is also typically used to facilitate passage of the casing through a shirring device, such as over a shirring mandrel.

During the shirring process, it is advantageous to lubricate and internally humidify the cellulose casing by spraying a mist of water and lubricant through the shirring mandrel. This will cause the casing to become overly harmful and sticky,
It is an economical, quick and convenient method to lubricate and humidify to increase casing flexibility and facilitate high speed casing shirring without tearing or breaking the casing.

Cellulosic food casings suitable for use in the method of the invention have a moisture content of less than about 100% by weight, based on the weight of absolutely dry cellulose (BDC). The term "absolutely dry cellulose" as used herein refers to regenerated cellulose and/or paper-like cellulose that has been dried by heating the cellulose at 160° C. for 1 hour in a residence oven to remove moisture. . For example, in the formation of cellulosic casings by the viscose process, regenerated cellulose is used in gel storage (ge
lstock) forms a casing known as a casing. This gel storage casing is not suitable for filling with food products such as meat emulsions to form sausages, for example. This is because it does not have sufficient strength to maintain adjustment of the filling diameter and to prevent casing failure due to bursting under normal filling pressures. Gel storage casings typically dry to moisture levels well below 100% by weight (BDC). Such moisture levels cause the regenerated cellulose to become more compact with increased intermolecular bonds (increased hydrogen bonds). The moisture level of the dry casing may be adjusted, for example by rehumidification, to facilitate filling. For example, such rehumidification or humidification by drying to a specific level typically ranges from about 5 to about 40% BDC by weight for non-fibrous casings. Non-textile casings with a small diameter before shirring typically have a diameter of about 10
A small diameter non-fibrous casing with a moisture content of ~20 wt% BDC and when shirred takes about 20 wt.
It has a moisture content adjusted to ~40 wt% BDC.

Regarding the fibrous casing, approximately 4% by weight B
Casings having moisture contents ranging from DC to about 70% by weight BDC have been manufactured commercially. Typically,
The fiber reinforced casing having a moisture level of about 4 to about 25% by weight BDC is soaked by the food processor prior to filling. Pre-humidified, ready-to-fill fibrous casings are also commercially available. Pre-humidified fibrous casings typically have a moisture content of about 26 to about 70 weight percent BDC without the need for additional soaking or humidification.

As described in US Pat. No. 1,631,723 (Freund), skinless (
In the formation of frankfurter sausages (with the casing removed), the sausage proteins coagulate in particular on the sausage surface to form a skin and allow the formation of a liquid phase between this formed skin and the casing. In this field, the term skinless "frankfurter" refers to the fact that the casing is removed or intended to be removed and a second "skin" of coagulated protein is formed on the surface of the frankfurter. It is understood to mean that such a casing can be removed. This second skin forms the outer surface of the so-called "skinless frankfurter". Skin formation is known to be produced by a variety of means including traditional smoke curing with gas smoke, low temperature drying, application of acids such as citric acid, acetic acid or acidic liquid smoke, or combinations thereof. It is being It is desirable that this second skin be smooth and cover the surface of the frankfurter. The formation of a liquid layer between the casing and the frankfurter skin is related to the formulation of the meat emulsion, the percent relative humidity in the cooking environment, the subsequent pleating and the application of steam to the refrigerated frankfurter.

[0011] During the traditional smoke preservation process, the outer surface of frankfurter sausages becomes colored due to interaction with gas smoke. This coloration is visually recognized. This smoke coloration on the surface of the frankfurter sausage can be seen through the casing when processors use typical transparent casings made from the viscose process without the addition of coloring pigments. In this method, storage and coloring of gas-smoked sausages is observed through visual changes in the casing, such as an enhanced darkening or browning of the sausage surface that occurs during the smoking process. Similarly, just as smoke coloration can occur with liquid smoke treated casings, pink or red coloration caused by contact with acid, such as by acid pouring, can be seen through the transparent casing. Operators may use these visual displays to adjust process parameters or modify the operability or effectiveness of process conditions.

[0012] When the non-fibrous casing is removed from the meat substance, there is a tendency in some cases for the casing to peel incompletely from the packaged meat. In some cases, the casing portion may remain with the meat after peeling. In particular, after the peeling operation, the entire knot may remain unpeeled, the bundle of casings may remain surrounding the product, and parts of the casing of various shapes and/or dimensions may remain on the sausage. Regenerated cellulose non-fibrous casings are typically clear and highly transparent in appearance. Although this transparency allows the processor to see through the packaged product, it disadvantageously interferes with the identification of individual unpeeled knots or flaked knots with parts of the casing attached.

Also, in a typical filling operation, the initial and final knots formed by filling the pleated length of the casing are often non-uniform in length, weight and/or appearance. The filling machine operator typically removes uneven knots from both ends of the filled casing length. The front or initially filled end of the casing has a closure which may not be present when the casing itself is twisted together. The operator separates this closure and the operator uses his or her fingers to squeeze or extract the meat emulsion from the uneven knots into a dispensing trough. The casing from which the flesh has been removed is then either tied to the same length of filled casing or folded back into the remaining uniform knots and twisted around the casing itself with existing twisted sections serving to separate the knots. is cut to an appropriate length. This knot or twist is done to prevent the meat emulsion from migrating through the open end.

The operator performs a similar operation at the trailing end of the fill length for the last formed knot. Typically, the filling machine will stop pumping the meat emulsion just before reaching the end of the pleated length of the casing. The operator then uses an annular knife to separate and process the unfilled portion of the casing, and then extracts the meat emulsion from the uneven joints into a dispensing trough, and through the remaining chains of the packaged sausage, removes the meat emulsion. from the rear end of the removed casing, or by folding it back and twisting it to the appropriate length of the casing, sealing the end in the same way as was done with the front end of the filled casing, and making sure that the remaining knots are uniform. maintain sexuality. Also, the unloading operation may be carried out in the middle of the casing length filling operation. This is usually performed when breakage occurs or other defects occur that result in uneven knots.

[0015] The meat that accumulates in the take-out tub may be disposed of, but is often recycled by returning it to the filling machine and refilling the casing. In some cases, the picked enclosure or casing portion of the casing inadvertently falls into or enters the extraction trough. Normally, for example, a transparent casing of regenerated cellulose would be easily hidden from view. It may then be returned to the filling machine to be filled again, resulting in a defective product contaminated with casing pieces.

To assist the operator in identifying problems such as loose knots, knots with parts of the casing attached to the knot, and casing accidentally placed in the removal pail, casing manufacturers provide colored casings. We have provided processing companies. One type of such colored casing is manufactured by Viscase Inc. (Chicago, Illinois) and sold by SE
A clear blue non-fibrous reinforced regenerated cellulose casing sold under the brand name NTRY NOJAX. This casing is completely colored in a substantially uniform blue color. The blue color results from water-insoluble pigments incorporated into the viscose before annular extrusion and regeneration. This casing is highly visible and facilitates the ability of both the filler operator and the peeler operator to identify casing contamination and incomplete peeling of the dispensing trough.

Unfortunately, the color of the casing obscures the progressive coloration of the sausage surface during the smoking process, so that if the operator does not remove the casing, it is difficult to visualize the progress of the smoking process. The use of such colored casings becomes difficult if it is not possible to obtain a clear indication. Instead, the operator must remove the casing from the packaged product to see how much color has developed on the sausage surface.

[0018] In order to maintain the ability to track smoke color during processing while making the casing more visible to filler and peeler operators, processors have used striped casing. Casing manufacturers sell clear recycled cellulosic non-fibrous casings having one or more longitudinal opaque stripes. These streaks are typically added by injecting pigment (contained in a viscose carrier) into the main stream of viscose just before the viscose is placed in an extrusion die and regenerated. Striped casings are commonly used by processors to differentiate the packaged product by either the number of stripes or the color, for example, a single stripe or a black stripe indicates an all-beef product; On the other hand, two stripes or a white stripe indicates a cow-pork blend. However, apart from the use of striped casings for the identification of such products, in the past it has been found that the presence of the casing in an undesired location by the operator, for example the presence of the casing in the dispensing trough or the part of the casing on the sausage that has delaminated. It has been used to aid in discovery. Such striped casings generally come in a variety of opaque colors, more typically black or white. The thickness of the individual stripes was generally about 3/32 inch, but varied up to 1/4 inch in some casings. 8 stripe casings with circumferences of about 3.44 inches and stripe widths of up to about 5/32 inches are commercially available, and casings with stripes of about 2.8 stripes with circumferences of about 3.44 inches and stripe widths of about 1/8 to 1/4 inch have been commercially available.
Four striped casings with a circumference of 22 inches have also been commercialized.

Unfortunately, striped casings are expensive to manufacture and striped injectors are prone to clogging and require frequent maintenance. The use of striped casings to detect contamination of meat by casing in the extraction trough and to identify sausages with unstripped casing portions typically results in recycled meat with more than 50% of the casing surface being transparent. There are disadvantages to using a casing that is made of cellulose. This large proportion of the transparent casing area means that the transparent part of the casing remains on the peeled sausage or in the removal pail, or that the casing part cannot be viewed by the operator, who may hold it for just a few seconds for inspection. This increases the possibility that there may be very few stripes. As can be seen above, additional stripes may be added, but this increases the complexity of the stripe making equipment, increases maintenance, reduces reliability and increases the manufacturing cost of the casing.

Other colored, non-fibrous and fibrous casings are known in the art. Dyed food casings are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,
No. 246 discloses a dyed collagen casing,
US Pat. No. 4,038,438 discloses dyed food casings containing regenerated cellulose. U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,904 discloses coloring unreinforced and reinforced cellulose casings with a colorant while gelatinizing the casing. US Pat. No. 2,521,101 (Thor et al.) discloses the production of dyed cellulose casings made by passing gel storage casings through a bath containing glycerin and dye. U.S. Patent No. 1,959,980 (Hen
Derson et al. disclose regenerated cellulose films or tubes that are dyed or colored on only one side (inside or outside) or have one color on the inside of the tube and another color on the outside of the tube.

Self-colored casings are also disclosed in US Pat.
No. 301,564, No. 2,477,767 and No. 2,
No. 521,101. These casings are designed to transfer color to the sausage surface. Such casings are generally coated or impregnated with food grade water-soluble dyes;
Others were commercially available with immobile black or white opaque stripes. Also known are casings impregnated with liquid smoke, which transfer the liquid to the surface of the sausages contained in the casing and cause a coloring reaction on the surface of the sausages. Casings with immovable or transferable indicia, logos, characters are also described, for example, in U.S. Pat.
It is known as number 924.

Window-dyed casings are also disclosed in US Pat. No. 2,857,283. This patent discloses the use of masking means on the transparent tube immediately before subjecting it to a dye or combination of chemicals capable of producing color. The masking means prevents staining of the masked portion by chemical or mechanical means to produce a seamless casing with transparent longitudinal portions that allow visual inspection of the contents of the casing. A casing is disclosed in which most areas of the outer surface are dyed. Such dyes are applied only to the surface and do not extend to the thickness of the casing wall, and such dyes are only applied to the casing after the formation of the tube.

Fibrous casings are commonly used for larger diameter sausages such as salami or Thuringian sausage products, particularly for sale of pre-packaged sliced products, although the casing can be removed. left behind. Traditionally, fibrous packaged products used colored casings. Salami-type products are often customarily brown or mahogany colored. Darker vertical “seam”
A striped fibrous casing is not used, although the portion is often present in the fibrous casing by an overlay of fibrous paper created during the manufacture of the casing. Clear fibrous casings are also sold, but this product is typically peeled from the sausage before retail sale. A transparent fibrous casing is generally more opaque than a transparent non-fibrous casing so that it can be easily seen on the sausage product. Nevertheless, the transparent fibrous casing makes it possible to see the sharpness of the meat particles and to visually determine the coarseness with respect to finely ground particles and also fat and redness particles, as well It allows for the differentiation of various emulsions, such as cow's milk vs. cow's milk. Particle definition can be seen through the colored fibrous casing, although it is more difficult to see through the colored fibrous casing than is exhibited by the transparent casing. Consumers may notice quality differences in sausage characteristics such as the fineness of the particles that make up the sausage and the fat/protein ratio. Due to such awareness and consumer preference, it is desirable to provide packaging in which consumers can see such attributes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to provide a cellulose casing and packaged food product in which the casing can advantageously have at least two longitudinal sections with different optical properties. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, transparent colorless elongated sections are provided on the colored casing to enable the manufacturer to view the packaged product for color development phenomena, for example during processing or Allows the consumer to view the packaged product, for example for the definition and quality of the meat particles. In this preferred embodiment, the colored casing portion provides the same or greater casing surface area than the transparent portion to assist the manufacturer in quality control. This colored part helps to ensure that the casing or casing segments do not mix with the meat emulsion while being fed to the feed hopper of the filling machine, for example due to the meat being contaminated by the casing in the take-off trough. The colored portion of the casing also facilitates the identification of unstripped or partially unstripped casings. Another embodiment of the invention provides a casing with multi-colored elongated sections of varying degrees of opacity to allow one packaged product to be distinguished from another. and provides an attractive package for applications where the casing remains until end-use by the consumer. Transparent or relatively transparent colored or colorless areas are provided to allow visual identification of product type and quality.

[0025] These above-mentioned advantages, according to the invention,
10 based on the weight of absolutely dry cellulose (BDC)
A novel cellulosic food casing comprising an elongated cellulose tube having a moisture content of less than 0% by weight may be provided. The cellulosic casing tube includes a colorant that is longitudinally and continuously distributed in at least one portion through the first and second longitudinal portions and the tube wall to provide that portion with a different optical value than other portions. Or with an opacifying agent. For example, a colorant or opacifier may be used in only one area and not in another area, or different colorants or opacifiers may be used, or the same colorant or opacifier may be used in different amounts. . Also, multiple colorants or opacifiers may be used in the first and/or second elongate portions, and the first and second elongate portions may each independently include a plurality of adjacent elongate portions, or It may consist of substantially a single longitudinal section. In accordance with the invention, the first and second portions have a first portion that is at least about 1:1 or greater.
to the second portion. Additionally, the first and second portions may have L, a, b and opacity that meet at least one of the following conditions: i) the average opacity value of the first portion is equal to or less than the average opacity value of the first portion; ii) the difference in average opacity between the first and second portions is less than 10; the difference in average of either the L value or the a value or the b value of each of the second portions is at least about 5; iii) the average opacity difference between the first portion and the second portion is at least about about 10 or more, and the sum of the absolute values of a and b of the first portion after extraction of the casing with water and methanol is at least 10.

[0026] The casing is filled with a food product such as a meat emulsion, for example of beef, pork, chicken, chicken, fish or mixtures thereof, or with a dairy product such as cheese or a vegetable product such as soy-derived protein or tofu. can be done. Mixtures of animal and plant products may be packaged and these products may be cooked or uncooked, pasteurized, fermented, frozen, dried or processed in any of a variety of well-known food processing methods. It is possible to obtain. A particularly desirable form of the invention is a packaged meat sausage, and the most advantageous application and embodiment of the invention relates to a frankfurter-type sausage packaged in a non-fibrous casing of regenerated cellulose.

[0027] The term "colorant" as used in the text refers to
Any substance that imparts color to other materials or mixtures and imparts black and white as well as chromatic colors. The colorant is
It can be either a dye or a pigment, and can be water-soluble or water-insoluble. Preferred colorants are pigments that are water soluble and adapted for food contact applications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is a cellulosic food casing suitable for packaging sausages and having novel optical properties. The present invention is particularly useful for quality control and product identification during the manufacture of packaged food products and for quality and product identification by retailers and consumers after manufacture. The present invention may also be useful in promoting packaged products by providing economical multicolored single sausage or string sausage packages.

The novel optical properties of the present invention include incorporating one or more colorants and/or opacifiers in such a way that the casing has at least two elongated sections with distinct and visually discernible different optical properties. It may be provided by addition to one or more longitudinal sections of the cellulosic casing through the walls of the casing.

[0030] The casing used according to the invention is:
It may be made of any suitable material, including seamless or seamless annular films, but preferably consists of a cellulose casing, such as the well-known regenerated cellulose casing made by the viscose process. is preferred. Any casing with or without fiber or paper reinforcement is useful in the present invention. Non-fiber-reinforced (non-fibrous) and fiber-reinforced (fibrous) casings are well known in the art, and those skilled in the art will be able to determine the moisture content, type of paper or fiber reinforcement (if any), plasticizer , antimycotic
common variations in parameters such as type and amount of additives (mycotics) etc. Such casings are typically assembled into shirred sticks as described above using well known methods and equipment. During the shirring operation, the inner surface of the casing, particularly the annular casing, is coated (e.g. by spraying) with shear, which may contain ingredients such as anti-pleat locking agents, lubricants, surfactants, water and/or wetting agents. (shirr) It is common to coat with a composition called a solution. The casing may also be treated with tar-containing or tar-depleted liquid smoke, and tar-depleted liquid smoke treated casings may be made, for example, according to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,613.

The moisture content of casings suitable for the present invention is as described above for known fibrous and non-fibrous casings. Moisture content may be determined using the well-known Karl-Fisher method for moisture analysis, and moisture is determined as a percentage of the absolute dry cellulose content of the casing.
It is expressed as

[0032] In producing non-fibrous regenerated cellulose casings by the viscose process, viscose is typically extruded through an annular die into a coagulation and regeneration bath to produce regenerated cellulose tubes. This tube then
It is washed, plasticized, for example with glycerin, and dried, for example by inflation under considerable air pressure. After drying, the casing can be wound onto a reel and then shirred. Fibrous casings use similar manufacturing methods, but viscose is generally coated on one or more sides of a tube formed by folding a paper web so that its opposite edges overlap. The viscose impregnates the paper tube, where it solidifies and regenerates to produce a regenerated cellulose fiber-reinforced tube.

Referring to FIG. 1, viscose is pipe 1
0 and pumping means such as pump 11 and sent to means for dividing the viscose stream into multiple streams such as T-pipe 12. From the T-pipe 12, the first portion of viscose is transferred to the pipe 13.
is conveyed by a moving means such as through a regulating means such as a regulating valve 14 to a mixing means such as a static mixer 15. Prior to or simultaneously with the transfer of the viscose to the static mixer 15, a colorant or an opacifier is controllably added, for example metered, to the viscose stream through transfer means such as a pipe 16. The static mixer thoroughly mixes the colorant and the viscose stream and the viscose is optically modified, for example by uniformly dispersing the added pigment, such as in pipe 17. The moving means transports the dyed viscose in laminar flow to the laminar flow coalescing means, where the flow of dyed viscose from the static mixer 15 is passed by the moving means such as the pipe 19 through the regulating means such as the regulating valve 20. It is combined with a second portion of viscose conveyed to the laminar flow combining means 18.

Optionally, different colorants or opacifiers, or different amounts of the same colorant or opacifier, may be added to the second portion of viscose before conveying it to the laminar flow coalescing means 18 (eg , metered through a moving means such as pipe 21). Optical property modifiers, such as colorants, may be added to the second portion of viscose before or at the same time as the viscose is transferred to a mixing means such as static mixer 22.

[0035] The laminar flow combining means 18 is a tube having a plurality of passages, typically annular cylindrical shaped passages, which are combined into a single passage. This coalescing means 18 functions as a collecting pipe or header to combine the first portion of viscose and the second portion of viscose into a single stream under laminar flow conditions. and the second part.

The relative amount of the first portion of viscose to the second portion may be adjusted by adjusting the relative volumes entering the combined manifold by adjusting valves 14 and 20. Of course, the process can be modified to add one or more additional flows, which may or may not contain optical property modifiers, to produce laminar flow of three or more distinct parts.

A laminar flow combining means 18, such as a collecting tube, combines the viscose streams just before the viscose enters the annular die or nozzle 23. The annular die or nozzle 23 opens directly to coagulation and regeneration means, such as a tank, hereinafter referred to as water tank 24 . Water bath 24 contains an acid, such as sulfuric acid, which causes coagulation and regeneration. The aquarium may also contain reagents that modify the rate of regeneration, such as metal salts, as are well known in the art. Preferably, the viscose flow is combined within the base of the nozzle and the combined laminar flow enters at right angles to the axis of the nozzle ring.

Optionally, a fibrous web of paper 25, for example, is formed into a tube and placed in die 23. There, the viscose is forced onto the paper as it enters the aquarium. Various dies are used to produce non-fibrous or fibrous casings,
Suitable dies are well known in the art.

Extrusion of the viscose through die 23 into water bath 24 results in a partially solidified and recycled article. Such articles are transported by transfer means 26 to additional acid regeneration means, such as one or more continuous acid baths. The regenerated cellulose tubes are then washed by a transfer means 28 with cleaning means 2, such as one or more continuous water baths, which may also contain additives such as caustic soda to adjust the pH.
Carried to 9th. The cleaned tubes of regenerated cellulose are then typically conveyed by moving means 30 to plasticizing means 31, such as one or more baths containing a suitable plasticizer, such as glycerin. From there, the casings are conveyed via moving means 32 to drying means 33. The means 33 are, for example, hot air dryers, in which the moisture content of the formed cellulose casing tube is adjusted. The dried and conditioned casing is conveyed through means 34 to collection means 35, such as a take-up reel or a shirring operation. Typical moving means 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34 may each include one or more rollers.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the diagram illustrates laminar flow in a laminar flow combining means 18, such as a collecting pipe 40 having a T-shaped passage. The first tube 41 contains a first portion of the viscose flow indicated by arrow A. The first tube 41 is combined into a single tube 43 with a second tube 42 containing a second portion of viscose, indicated by arrow B. The combined stream of viscose, indicated generally at 44, includes two distinct portions of viscose, indicated by arrows A and B. The collecting pipe contains two distinct parts and due to the laminar flow of viscose streams A and B they exit the collecting pipe with minimal mixing. Preferably, the laminar flow is within the well-known Reynolds number range that indicates laminar flow. Reynolds number (Re) is the ratio of inertial force to viscous force in the flow, and is preferably about 200
It is less than 0. T- and Y-shaped passages are preferred to provide a coalescing means that provides laminar flow without excessive mixing.

Another method of combining multiple streams is to feed the separate streams of viscose directly into an annular ring die, for example at opposing locations on the outermost circumferential surface of the ring or with annular exit slots for extrusion. It will be placed in opposing positions on opposite surfaces of the containing die surface.

Either or both viscose streams A or B may be modified to form optically distinct parts of the casing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, viscose stream A is unmodified viscose during regeneration, washing and drying, forming clear and transparent elongated sections of the casing. Viscose stream B is preferably modified with a colorant or an opacifying agent, in particular by uniformly dispersing in viscose stream B a water-insoluble pigment, such as a copper phthalocyanine blue pigment. Copper phthalocyanine blue pigment has brand name EX681-121Ph
It is available as an aqueous dispersion from Daniel Products, New Jersey under the trade name thalo Blue. In another embodiment, different colorants are added to each viscose stream to form a casing having at least two elongated sections of different colors.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a plan view depicts a partial cutaway of the exterior of a non-fibrous casing 50 made in accordance with the present invention. The casing 50 has an outer surface 5
1 and an inner surface 52 having a first longitudinal section 53 that is optically different from the second longitudinal section 54 . Optical differences between the moieties can be provided by any suitable reagent, but are often due to differences in the type and/or amount of colorant or opacifier added. These colorants or opacifiers may be added, for example, by impregnating the formed casing, but are preferably added before forming the casing. For fibrous casings, the paper web or tube used may be treated with a coloring agent and/or an opacifying agent prior to coating with viscose, but most preferably for both fibrous and non-fibrous casings, the paper web or tube used is treated with a coloring agent or opacifying agent. The opacifier is added directly to the dissolved or modified cellulose, such as viscose, prior to regeneration, as described above with respect to FIG. 1.

A suitable colorant is any substance that imparts color to another material or mixture; the term as used herein applies equally to substances that also impart black or white color to another substance or mixture. . The colorant can be either water-soluble or water-insoluble, but is preferably water-insoluble. In addition, the coloring agent can be either a dye or a pigment, but
Preferably it is a pigment. Both dyes and pigments are usually
Provided in a support medium by the colorant manufacturer. The dye is essentially soluble in the support medium and, if crystalline, remains only slightly crystalline. The term "pigment" as used herein means a colored, black, white or fluorescent particulate organic or inorganic solid, usually insoluble and substantially soluble by the vehicle or substrate to which it is added. Physically or chemically unaffected. The pigment is
Change optical properties and appearance by scattering of light and/or selective absorption of light. Depending on the application, the pigment is provided as a dry powder or as a dispersion in a vehicle or matrix such as water. Generally, a pigment, unlike a dye, maintains its crystallinity and particulate structure while dispersed in a vehicle and during use, for example by being added onto or into a material such as a cellulose casing.

Suitable pigments may be organic or inorganic, but organic pigments are preferred. Suitable inorganic pigments include metal oxides such as titanium dioxide, suspensions of metal powders, and carbon black. Most preferably, the invention employs one or more water-insoluble pigments approved for food contact use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Preferably the organic pigment is insoluble in water. Preferred organic pigments include organometallic compounds.

Optical properties and appearance can also be modified using opacifiers. Colorants can also be opacifiers. As used herein, the term "opacifier" refers to a material that reduces the transparency or transmission of visible light through a system or substance to which it is added. Opacifiers can be organic or inorganic, water-soluble or water-insoluble, and can be added to the casing in the same manner as colorants. Preferably, the opacifying agent may be a water-soluble inorganic material added to the dissolved cellulose or viscose prior to casing formation.

According to the invention, a food casing, in particular:
A casing suitable for sausage stuffing, processing and packaging is provided as an elongated tube, preferably of cellulose, most preferably regenerated cellulose, having at least two longitudinal sections, the longitudinal section being one of the longitudinal sections. The presence of at least one colorant or opacifier in at least one part in a different amount than in the other parts has different optical properties. Preferably, colorants or opacifiers are added to one part to provide different optical properties that are easily detected visually by the naked eye and have optical values that are measurable and quantifiable by an instrument. , cannot be added to other parts.

Referring to FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of the casing portion of FIG. 3 is depicted. The non-fibrous casing 50 is shown as an annular cross-section, as it would be if it were expanded or filled with a food product such as a sausage emulsion. Packaged and filled sausages are made from beef, pork, lamb,
A fish, poultry or vegetable emulsion or mixture thereof is contained within an area 55 circumferentially surrounded by the inner surface 52 of the casing. The casing 50 has a continuous outer surface 5 defining a continuous inner surface 52 and a casing wall 56.
1. For illustration purposes, the thickness of the casing wall is exaggerated. Generally, the casing wall thickness for non-fibrous casings is about 0.7 to 4 mils, and for casings intended to be filled with ham and shichimencho rolls and meat slab-type products. Greater thicknesses are used. Wiener and frankfurter sausages are typically smaller diameter products, such products are subjected to extremely rapid filling and peeling operations, and finely ground meat emulsions are used. These small diameter sausage products are more susceptible to casing contamination caused by contamination of the removal trough and incomplete peeling due to the high processing speeds found in factories. For example, small diameter non-fibrous casings used to fill Wiener and frankfurter-type products to make skinless hot dogs typically have thinner casing wall thicknesses and longer lengths of the casing. It allows the production of pleated casing sticks including Typically,
The thickness or width of the casing wall 56 for such frankfurter sausage production ranges from about 0.8 to about 2.0 mils;
Preferably it will be about 0.9 to about 1.5 mil.

According to the invention, at least two longitudinal sections with different optical properties are provided, although more than two sections may also be present. For example, in FIG. 4, the casing 50 is divided into two elongated sections with essentially optically different properties: a first elongated section 5;
3 and a second elongated portion 54, the most preferred embodiment of the invention is depicted. These longitudinally elongated portions 53 and 54 are defined by edges 57 and 58 sandwiched between the two divided surfaces. Starting at the sandwiched edge 57 and moving clockwise along the circumference 59 of the casing 50, the second elongated portion 54 moves from the edge 57 to the sandwiched edge 58.
extends in the cross section (transverse to the longitudinal direction), while
The first longitudinal portion 53 extends in the cross section (transverse to the longitudinal direction) from the edge 58 along the circumference 59 to the edge 57 sandwiched between two sides. In a most preferred embodiment, the first portion 53 is visually optically uniform and has substantially uniform optical L, a, b and opacity values, and the second portion 54 is also optically uniform. It is visually optically uniform and has substantially uniform optical L, a, b and opacity values, which values are described hereinafter. Such uniformity depends on the quality control as well as the homogeneity of the pigment dispersion;
It can vary depending on factors such as different particle sizes or the presence or absence of contaminants, and variations in flow rate and volume, which can cause variations in casing thickness, for example. Such variations are to be expected and typically include:
within the range indicated by the data present in the example in Table B.

The two-faced edges 57 and 58 should be visually perceptible and preferably form a clear boundary between the first and second parts. These two-sided edges generally have a width of less than about 3/16 inch, preferably less than about 1/16 inch, more preferably less than about 1/32 inch, and Most preferably about 1
/64 inches. The wide edges indicate movement between the combined viscose streams, and viscose movement is allowed as long as optical differences are maintained according to the parameters described herein. Preferably, the edges are very narrow so that (a) there is little migration or mixing, and (b) good laminar flow is exhibited.

Although two longitudinal sections are most preferred, the invention also includes the provision of three or more longitudinal sections. For example, in the most preferred embodiment, the first portion 53 is colored and slightly opaque with an added coloring agent, and the second portion has no added colorant in the normal viscose process. It is substantially transparent and colorless.

In another embodiment, two transparent parts 5
4 may be provided around the circumference of the casing 50. For example, a second transparent portion similar to portion 54 and of the same or different transverse width may be provided at any location around the circumference 59 of casing 50. Adding other transparent parts adds to the advantage of allowing the interior center of the casing to be observed, but leaving most of the casing colored avoids the contamination and flaking problems mentioned above. The advantage of adding one or more additional transparent portions increases as the circumference of the casing increases. Generally, for small diameter casings, such as non-fibrous casings used to make skinless frankfurters, a single transparent section is preferred and the addition of a second transparent section does not provide any additional benefit. Although illustrated as "transparent," the plurality of second portions may be provided in varying degrees of pigmentation or opacity in accordance with the invention described herein. Similarly, the first part can also exist as multiple parts. The first elongated portion and the second portion are preferably each optically substantially uniform, but each of these respective first and second portions each has a plurality of adjacent elongated sub-portions. may include. However, each sub-portion satisfies optical value requirements that define an optical difference between the first elongated portion and the second elongated portion. In other words, adjacent sub-parts having different or non-uniform properties with respect to surface area, surface area ratio and transverse width of the first part or the second part are They are combined to yield defined areas and distances as long as they satisfy the defined optical value constraints of their respective parent parts. The optical values measured for each of the first and second portions are each an average value for that portion.

The first and second longitudinal portions of the elongated annular casing preferably have side edges extending parallel to each other, most preferably parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube, but are preferably spirally shaped. Stretching may also be suitable. The opposing edges defining the width of each longitudinal section are preferably equidistant from each other along the longitudinal length of the casing, but may vary. For example, the side edges may be varied in a periodic manner to form a sinusoidal edge by adjusting the relative flow rates of viscose. Such casings may be used, for example, in applications where the casing is left behind to provide an attractive appearance for sale to the end consumer.

The relative viscose flows can also be adjusted to completely and intermittently close off the viscose flow (eg, one of two streams) to form interrupted longitudinal sections. This can also be done using valves. The elongated portion should be long enough to provide a measurable and visually perceptible optical difference. Preferably, the longitudinal section extends along the length of the tube a distance greater than the transverse width of the longitudinal section. Preferably, the first and second longitudinal portions are (
(necessarily adjacent to each other), extending at least 1/2 inch, more preferably 1 inch, and even more preferably 4 inches in the longitudinal direction of the casing. In the most preferred embodiment, the longitudinal portion is uninterrupted, but extends from one end of the casing length to the other. In one embodiment of the invention, the first and second elongate portions are at least 12 inches (
along the length of the casing). In other embodiments of the invention, the longitudinal section is at least 50 feet, preferably 100 feet, and most preferably 2
00 feet long. In the above specific example of the present invention, the cutting length of the casing is determined by the reel stock (reel stock).
stock) or as a pleated casing.

Generally, for both fibrous and non-fibrous casings, the area ratio of the first elongated portion of the elongated tube to the second elongated portion is at least 1:1 or greater. If the first and second longitudinal sections are each of substantially uniform transverse dimension, the surface area ratio may be calculated by measuring the relative transverse width of each section around the circumference of the casing. For example, in FIG.
Measuring the clockwise circumferential distance from edge 58 to edge 57 yields the width of the first elongated portion, and from edge 57 to edge 58
Measuring the distance clockwise yields the width of the second longitudinal section. When the edges defining each longitudinal section are equidistant from each other, the ratio of their widths is proportional to the ratio of their respective surface areas. Typically, the surface area ratio of the first longitudinal section to the second longitudinal section is about 1:1 to 120:1, particularly in non-fibrous casing embodiments 1:1 to 20:1, and especially about 1:1 to about 10:1 are advantageous. Approximately 3.5:1
The most preferred range from about 10:1 is particularly desirable for small diameter casings, such as non-fibrous casings useful in making frankfurters. Larger diameter casings, e.g. fibrous casings,
Generally, it is preferred to have a first portion to second portion surface area ratio of from about 10:1 to about 60:1, and most preferably from about 20:1 to about 40:1. has a ratio.

Advantageously, the first longitudinal section has a transverse width of at least about 50% of the circumference of the casing. Preferably, the smaller diameter casing (11
For circumferences less than 5 mm), this width is at least 75
% and larger diameter casing (115
For circumferences larger than mm) this width is at least 90
%.

[0057] Although any size circumference is suitable for the non-fibrous casing, preferably the casing has a circumference of about 1.8 to about 3.8 inches. Similarly, any circumference applies for the fibrous casing, but preferably
The casing has a circumference of about 4.1 to about 21.6 inches.

Advantageously, the casing of the present invention employs a transparent or relatively transparent second elongated portion, thereby allowing food processors to visually follow color development during processing or packaging. identification of the content of the product, for example, visually in terms of product type or particle size. Advantageously, such features are at least about 3/16 inch, desirably at least about 1/4 inch, preferably at least about 3/8 inch, more preferably at least about 1/2 inch, most preferably about 3/8 inch.
This is facilitated by having a transverse width of between an inch and about 1/2 inch. Larger widths may also be used and may be particularly advantageous, particularly for larger diameter products packaged with fibrous casings having circumferences of about 115 mm or more. Smaller cross-sectional widths are generally advantageous for smaller diameter casings intended to be subjected to high speed stripping operations with problems with unstripped knots.

Referring to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional view of another fiber reinforced embodiment of the present invention is shown. The fiber reinforced casing 60 has an outer surface 61 and an inner surface 62 with a first longitudinal section 63 (shown in cross section) and a second longitudinal section 64 (shown in cross section). The continuous inner surface 62 of the tubular casing 60 defines an interior space 65 which, in use, is filled with a food product, such as a meat emulsion forming a sausage. The outer surface 61 and the inner surface 62 define a casing wall 66, which is typically about 2.5 to 4.0 mils thick for a fibrous casing. The first longitudinal portion 63 and the second longitudinal portion 64 are separated by boundary edges 67 and 68;
The casing 60 has an external circumference 69, which may be of any practical size, but is preferably at least about 115 mm. The features and advantages described with respect to the non-fibrous casing of FIGS. 3 and 4 apply generally equally to the fibrous casing 60 of FIG.

Unlike the casings of FIGS. 3 and 4, the casing 60 of FIG. has been done. During the formation of the fibrous casing 60, the viscose soaks into the paper tube 70 and also forms an outer covering 74 of viscose. The viscose assists in bonding the joints 73, and the viscose is coagulated and regenerated to form regenerated cellulose as described with respect to FIG. As in FIG. 4, the thickness of the casing wall is exaggerated for illustration purposes, as is the paper tube 70. Typically, the fiber reinforcement, such as paper tube 70, has a thickness of about 2.5 to 3
．． It has a thickness of 5 mils, but thicker or thinner tubes can be used.

In accordance with the present invention, a cellulose casing is provided in which food products such as sausages can be packaged. The casing of the present invention generally comprises an elongated tube, which is preferably made from cellulosic material, more preferably regenerated cellulose. Regenerated cellulose can be produced by the well-known viscose process, however other processes are known and can also be used, such as the ammonium process. The tubular casing is provided with a first longitudinal section and a second longitudinal section, at least one of which extends longitudinally and continuously therein to provide optical and cosmetic differences between the sections. Contains a colorant or opacifying agent dispersed in the paint. The portions have a first portion to second portion surface ratio of at least 1:1 or greater. The differences in the appearance of the casings and packaged sausages according to the invention may provide an advantageous combination of characteristics for process control, quality control and product recognition, e.g. with respect to type or quality, and/or with regard to attractive appearance, e.g. to attract buyers at the point of sale. . Although these advantages and characteristics have been described above, the casings and/or packaged sausages of the present invention may embody various combinations of the above characteristics or advantages not previously seen in the art. The optical differences between the first and second parts of the tubular casing that give rise to this novel property or advantage result in a quantifiable and measurable optical value. In particular, the L, a, b values and opacity can be measured for each individual part. The Hunter L, a, b value is the standard color scale, which is the lightness as the L value and the combination of a and b values on the coordinates where a represents red-green and b represents yellow-blue. A standard color system relating hue and chroma is used to indicate differences in lightness, hue and saturation. Further information on the theory and measurement of L, a, b and opacity can be found in the Instruction Manual
l Hunter Lab 45°/0°D25-PC
2 ΔColorimeter”, pp. 1-1
index-5(Hunter Associates
Laboratory Inc. , 1988 4
Please refer to it as necessary. Hunter L, a, b and color scale values and opacity can be measured with the following test.

L, a, b and opacity test The casing specimen to be tested is preferably a web with smooth flat surfaces. However, the pleated casing can be unshirred, moistened, kept under tension, and dried into a flat film suitable for colorimetry.

A preferred procedure for making such a colorimetric flat film from a non-fibrous or fibrous pleated casing is as follows.

In the case of a non-fibrous casing, a length of the casing is unshirred (eg, about 10 inches), cut into a certain tube length, and the fold diameter (2/1 of the circumference) is measured. The length of the unshirred casing is then soaked in deionized water (approx.
ml). The soaked casing is then removed from the water and pressed between paper towels to absorb excess water. sealing one end of the casing, for example by tying a knot therein, and inflating the casing with a compressed gas such as oxygen to a circumference approximately three times the pre-measured fold diameter (before dipping); The open end is sealed to maintain this expanded condition, for example by twisting the casing and tying a knot. The expanded casing is then heated to approx.
Suspend the cellulose in a convection oven set at 03°C ± 1°C for a period sufficient to dry the cellulose, preferably to a moisture content of about 13-18% water by weight of anhydrous cellulose. Moisture can be measured using any suitable means including Karl Fischer analysis. By trial and error, appropriate drying times can be determined without undue experimentation. Typically, a non-fibrous casing of regenerated cellulose is
Dry for about 60-120 seconds at <0>C. The dry casing is
It is opened by cutting in the longitudinal direction, preferably along the extrusion folds. The casing can then be flattened to provide a substantially flat surface free of wrinkles caused by shirring. The casing is then ready for use in measuring its L, a, b values and opacity. Also, L, a,
Moisture readings can be obtained before or after the b-value and opacity readings, for example using a moisture analyzer as described above. L,
The above process is repeated with another casing sample so that four sets of average values of a, b values and opacity are obtained.

In the case of fibrous casings, a length of the casing was unshirred (eg, about 10 inches) and cut to a length of tube. Soak the cut length of tube in deionized water (approximately 500 milliliters) for a minimum of 5 minutes with occasional stirring or agitation. The soaked casing is then removed from the water and pressed between paper towels to absorb excess water. The wet casing is then cut longitudinally along the extrusion folds and stretched onto a suitable sizing hoop. The casing is held in place by fitting thereon another hoop whose size can be adjusted with an attached screw to hold the casing securely in place. This second hoop is adjusted so that the wet casing is held taut on the first hoop to remove any wrinkles and provide a smooth surface. The wet casing, held under tension by a hoop, is placed in a convection oven set at about 103°C ± 1°C, preferably about 8°C based on the weight of anhydrous cellulose and paper.
Suspend for sufficient time to dry the casing to ~12% moisture by weight. Moisture may be measured by any suitable means, for example as described with respect to the method of preparing unshirred non-fibrous casings. Typically, the fibrous casing is dried at 103°C for about 2 minutes and then left in ambient air at room temperature (about 22-25°C) for about 15 minutes to allow the casing to cool. The dry fibrous casing is nearly flat and free of wrinkles caused by pleating. The cooled casing is separated from the hoop and the L, a, b values and opacity, % are measured as for the web. Repeat the above unraveling/smoothing process so that an average of the four values is obtained.

To obtain the L, a, b and opacity values of the casing without additives such as water-soluble colorants or opacifying agents and liquid smoke, the casing can be extracted as follows prior to measurement.

A length of web or unshirred fibrous or non-fibrous casing (eg, about 10 inches) is heated for about 250 min with occasional agitation or agitation to extract any methanol-soluble components from the casing. Soak in 1 ml of reagent grade methanol for about 10 minutes. Repeat the soaking/extraction process at least two more times (more times if necessary) to flush out the extractant and create a clear wash.
repeat. The extraction casing is then immersed in 500 milliliters of deionized water with agitation for about 5 minutes, and the washing liquid is then drained off. Repeat this washing process two more times.
Repeat several times and then press the casing between paper towels to absorb excess water. The wet casing is then
Dry as described above for the non-fibrous to fibrous casing method.

[0068] L, a, b values and opacity are determined by Hunte
r Associates Laboratory I
nc. Hunter Lab D25-PC2 ΔColo (Reston, VA)
Measure using a colorimeter such as RImeter.

The casing sample is placed on the sample plate of the colorimeter (calibrated using standard tiles according to the manufacturer's instructions) and the sample is illuminated with 45° incident light from a quartz-halogen lamp (transparent bulb). An optical sensor placed at 0° (perpendicular to the sample plate) measures reflected light that is filtered to approximate a CIE 2° standard observer for Illuminant C. Record values using the standard Hunter L, a, b color scale. Placement of the casing sample is accomplished as follows. The tubular casing sample is cut longitudinally (opposite the seam, if any) to form a film with a single thickness. Open the viewing door of the colorimeter. Place the casing sample on the white tile, taking care with respect to the measuring sample that no seams or folds are located in the sampling area. The casing and tile are then placed on a spring-loaded support that maintains them in intimate contact with the sample port. The port is fitted with a sample port insert having an appropriately sized hole. The hole should not be larger than the sampling area. The casing is mounted with its axis in the longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction) perpendicular to the incident optical path flowing from the quartz-halogen lamp light source to the sample. The cut casing is generally positioned such that the anterolateral surface of the tube is proximate to the sample port. Check the integrity of the casing sample through the viewing door to eliminate dryer creases or obvious defects. Close the viewing door and measure the L, a, and b values. The casing sample is then repositioned to its different areas and the L, a, b values are measured again (taking care to exclude seams and folds). The repositioning and remeasurement is repeated so that four sets of values are obtained for averaging.

Opacity (contrast ratio) is the ratio of the diffuse reflectance (CIEY) of a sample backed with black to the diffuse reflectance of the same sample backed with white. The black and white backing materials used are tiles provided by the colorimeter manufacturer for such purposes. These tiles also range from 0 to 100%
It can also be used to calibrate colorimeters that measure opacity on a scale of (100% = fully opaque). The casing sample is first placed opposite a white sample tile and then measured, similarly placed opposite a black sample tile and measured. Then calculate the opacity, %. Two opacity readings are taken at different locations on the sample (excluding any seams or folds) and the average is recorded. During the measurements, care is taken to ensure that the casing samples are positioned identically on the sample plate for measurements on the black and white backings, respectively. This positioning is facilitated by outlining a circle on the sample using a template with a hole slightly larger in diameter than the hole in the sample port insert being used. The operator examines the sample through the viewing door and adjusts its position so that the sample is properly centered and no part of the circular outline is visible from the sample port insert. Care is taken to ensure that the casing specimen is always positioned so that the longitudinal axis (longitudinal direction) of the casing is perpendicular to the incident light path flowing from the quartz-halogen lamp light source to the specimen and protects it from rotation. The L, a, b values are also measured with similarly matched casing samples in which the longitudinal axis of the casing is aligned perpendicular to the light path of the illumination lamp flowing from the lamp to the sample. This optical path is positioned at 45° to the sample plate.

In general, the present invention provides an elongate food casing tube having a first elongate section and a second elongate section, the casing having a first section to second section surface area ratio of at least about 1:1 or greater. . At least one of these parts has an optical value that differs from the other parts due to the colorant or opacifying agent continuously dispersed therein in the longitudinal direction. Various embodiments of the invention are shown below having various optical values and ranges for either or both of the first and second portions.

In one embodiment of the invention, the average opacity value of the first portion of the casing tube is at least about 0.5 units greater than the average opacity value of the second portion. For example, a casing having a first part with an opacity of 3.0% and a second part with an opacity of 2.5 satisfies this condition. The average opacity value of the first portion is greater than the average opacity value of the second portion by at least about 1.0, advantageously at least about 5.0.
, preferably at least about 10.0, more preferably at least about 20.0 or more. In some embodiments of the invention, the average opacity value of the first portion is greater than that of the second portion by at least 50.0, advantageously by at least about 90.0 or more.

Preferred embodiments of the invention suitably have an opacity of less than about 10%, preferably less than about 5%, more preferably less than about 2.0%, and most preferably less than about 1.5%. A non-fibrous casing is provided having a second elongate portion of the casing. In this embodiment of the invention, a highly transparent elongated section is provided for examining properties of the packaged product, such as the particle profile of sausages. Also, when the second elongated portion is relatively colorless in addition to having low opacity, the color of the packaged product can be easily seen and fat and protein particles can be distinguished and/or the packaging Product (
Example: Color development of meat sausages) is observed during processing.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention provides a fibrous casing in which the second portion suitably has an opacity of less than about 35%, preferably less than 25%, and most preferably less than about 20%. Such opacity values in larger diameter casings allow the contours of the meat particles to be visualized and also help distinguish between product types, for example between beef salami and turkey rolls.

In another embodiment of the invention, the first part and the second part
and suitably less than 50%, preferably less than 20%, most preferably less than 10%, and suitably at least about 5 units, preferably at least about 10 units, and more preferably at least about 10 units. at least about 20 units, most preferably at least about 50 units of L, a
Or there is a difference in the average value of b. Advantageous embodiments of the invention provide for a difference of at least about 10 units in average L, a or b value between the first part and the second part, and less than about 50%, preferably about 20%, in average opacity. may have a difference of less than

In another embodiment of the invention, there is a difference in optical properties between the first longitudinal section and the second longitudinal section of the casing, such that the average opacity is suitably at least about 10 or higher; preferably at least 20 or more, more preferably at least 50 or more, most preferably at least 90 or more, and the sum of the absolute values of a and b in the first portion following extraction of the casing with water and methanol is suitably at least about 10 , advantageously at least about 20, preferably at least about 30, more preferably at least about 40, most preferably at least about 60.

Advantageously, either or both of the first longitudinal section and the second longitudinal section of the casing may be a single continuous section that is substantially optically uniform. The casing can be in the form of a flattened tube, which can be cut to the appropriate dimensional length for stuffing individual sausages (fibrous casings are often provided in this way) or the flattened casing can be rolled up. It can be wound as a winding. Alternatively,
The casing can be gathered into pleated tubes or casing sticks. Shirred casings are the typical shape in which non-fibrous casings are provided commercially to food processors. The fibrous casing can also be shirred.

In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the first tube
The portion contains a colorant integrally distributed throughout the tube wall. The colorant is preferably water-insoluble and is preferably a pigment.

Referring to FIG. 6, a top view of a chain-wrapped sausage 80 according to the present invention is shown. One segment 81 of the packaged sausage is connected to opposing segments 82, 83 (shown in cutaway view) at respective twisted casing portions 84, 85 defining opposite ends of segment 81. Each node has a first longitudinal section 86 and a second longitudinal section 87. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the first elongate section is a single continuous section that is substantially optically uniform and includes a pigment colorant. The colorant is continuously and integrally distributed longitudinally in the tube wall such that the sum of the absolute values of a and b is at least about 30 and the opacity is at least about 5%. The second elongate portion is relatively transparent (less than about 20% opacity), has a sum of absolute values of a and b less than 10, preferably less than 5, and does not contain any added colorants or opacifiers.

Referring again to FIG. 6, the casing pipe 8
8 contains a food product 89, such as a sausage emulsion, preferably a processed meat sausage, packed therein. The second elongated portion 87 preferably includes packaged food particles 90
It is transparent so that it can be observed through perspective and allows the observer to observe the type and color of the packaged product, and is relatively colorless (the sum of the absolute values of a and b is low).

The invention will become more apparent when considered in conjunction with the following examples. Thus, the following examples are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit it in any manner. All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

Examples 1-6 L for some non-fibrous and fibrous casings made from regenerated cellulose by the viscose process
, a, b values and opacity are measured. These optical values are compared to the L, a, b values and opacity measured for a regenerated cellulose casing made by a viscose process and having optically different first and second longitudinal sections according to the invention. . Table A reports typical average L, a, b and opacity values for various sausage casings as well as two casing examples of the invention. Unless otherwise indicated below, the L, a, b and opacity values are obtained and measured by the procedure described above.

Examples (1-6) all involve unshirred (pre-shirred) reel stock casings, but are unshirred, wetted and placed under tension as described above. And similar values are expected for pleated casings that are being dried.

Table A lists typical ranges of casing thickness and moisture content for each example. Actual moisture content and casing thickness were not measured but are believed to be within the specified ranges. The L, a, b and opacity values are expected to be similar for the indicated thickness and moisture ranges.

[0085]

[Table 1]

Examples 1 to 4 are comparative examples (not examples of the present invention)
and Examples 5-6 are examples of the present invention. The L, a, b values listed in Table A for Examples 1 to 4 are average values measured on five separate sections of the casing, with each casing section being measured at two different locations and 10 Provides the average value of the measured values. Examples 5 and 6 are average values of four measurements each taken on one sample. The opacity is a similar average of two values for five casing sections for Examples 1-4, and an average of four values for a single casing section for Examples 5 and 6. L,a
, b and opacity were both measured on the outer surface of the casing to obtain values for each casing section. Tables B1 and B2 list the measurements from which these average values were obtained.

Example 1 is with a relatively colorless and transparent casing of non-fiber reinforced regenerated cellulose made by a typical industrial viscose process. Example 2 is a casing similar to that of Example 1, but includes a colored copper phthalocyanine colorant that gives the casing a clear blue appearance. This blue color is achieved using non-migrating colorants. This coloring agent does not migrate into packaged foods such as sausages, nor is it washed away during typical sausage processing steps, including pouring, acid baths, or liquid or gas smoking. And it also has no detrimental effect on the permeability of the casing, which remains permeable to moisture and smoke. Example 3 is a relatively colorless casing of fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose made by the typical viscose process of impregnating a paper tube through its outer surface with viscose and then regenerating it to cellulose. Example 4 is similar to Example 3, but includes a tinted organic colorant that gives the casing a reddish color in appearance.

Examples 5 and 6 belong to the invention. Example 5 is a non-fiber reinforced cellulose casing made of regenerated cellulose and comprising two longitudinal sections with visually different optical properties. The first elongate section contained the same copper phthalocyanine pigment used to color the casing of Example 2. In both examples the pigment was added to the viscose before regeneration. The difference in L, a, b values may be due to the different formulations used in the two examples. The second elongated portion of Example 5 contains no added colorant and its L, a
, b and opacity were almost the same as those of Comparative Example 1.

In Example 5, the average opacity value of the first elongated portion of the casing is approximately 8.7 greater than the value of the second elongated portion.
It was % points bigger. This difference in average opacity was less than 10 units. Also, the differences in the average L, a, and b values are 45.4, 7.5, and 65.0, respectively.
It became 7. Therefore, each average Hunter Color Scale value for the first and second portions differed by at least a 5 unit difference. The L and b values differed by at least 10 units since both values showed a difference of well over 20 units. The mean values of b differed by more than 50 units. The first part of the casing of Example 5 was visually perceivable as clear blue in color, and the second part was perceived to be colorless, clear and transparent.

The casing of Example 5 can advantageously be used for processing food products such as sausages. For example, the casing
It can be stuffed with meat emulsions such as beef, pork or turkey, heat treated, peeled and repackaged for retail sale. 1st (blue colored) part vs. 2nd (transparent)
The surface area ratio of the sections was about 4:1, with the second elongated section having a cross-sectional width of about 9/16 inches. The first portion has a transverse width of approximately 2 5/16 inches to provide a sufficient amount of casing surface area with a coloration that is sufficiently optically different from the packaged product that it provides a visual perception of the presence of the casing. A possible indication is provided to avoid contamination of the meat with casing fragments, for example in the take-out trough, and to indicate sausages that have not been peeled or have been peeled incompletely after the peeling operation. At the same time, the 9/16 inch wide second section is sufficient to track color development during the acid pouring or smokehouse process. Additionally, the meat emulsion may be viewed and inspected through the relatively transparent second portion. A further advantage of the invention is that the color of the first part can be used to distinguish between types of products.

Example 6 is a fiber-reinforced cellulose casing made from regenerated cellulose and has two longitudinal sections with visually different optical properties. The first vertical part is
It contained a brownish-red organic pigment similar to that used to color the casing of Comparative Example 4. In both examples the pigment was added to the viscose before regeneration. L,
The differences in a, b and opacity values are considered to be due to differences in the amount of pigment blended. The second elongated section does not contain any added colorant and its L, a, b and opacity values are almost the same as those of Comparative Example 3.

In Example 6, the average opacity value for the first elongate portion of the fibrous casing is greater than 10 units and approximately 48.8 units greater than the opacity value for the second elongate portion.
% points) was calculated from the measured value. The casing, which is free of water or methanol soluble colorants, is characterized in that the sum of the absolute values of a and b of the first portion is at least 1.
having the values of a and b such that it is 0 and is actually 26
．． Estimated to be 9, it was at least about 25.

The fibrous casing of Example 6 can advantageously be used for processing or packaging foods such as sausages. For example, the casing is stuffed with meat emulsion,
It can be processed and sold for use with the casing still attached. The first (reddish brown) part vs. the second (
The surface area ratio of the relatively colorless sections was about 10 to 1, and the second elongated section had a cross-sectional width of about 9/16 inches. 1st
The section had a cross-sectional width of approximately 5 11/16 inches. The 9/16 inch wide second portion allows a visual indication of the food particle definition and some differentiation of product types, and at the same time the colored first portion exhibits a traditional appearance;
Enables product identification based on color.

Here, with reference to Tables B1 and B2, L,
The actual measured values of a, b and opacity are shown in table form. These values were used to calculate the average values shown in Table A. Actual values are listed to illustrate the typical variations present in a casing with a continuously dispersed colorant that is substantially optically uniform. Therefore, some variation in the measured value is to be expected and may be due to the sensitivity of the colorimeter, changes in the sample provided to the colorimeter, small changes in casing thickness or moisture content, pigments and This may be due to variables such as slight changes in course mixing and/or viscose aging. Use of the term "substantially optically uniform" is intended to include these minor variations. Tables B1 and B2 also list values for the double thickness of the casing. These values represent the expected changes and deformations in measurements that are expected due to changes in casing thickness, and represent measurements made at seams, such as lap joint areas of the casing. These values are presented for illustrative purposes. In general, the L, a, b color scale values and % opacity of the casing should be measured at a single thickness of the casing away from easily visible defects such as seams or extrusion or dryer creases, which is preferred. In embodiments, the measurements, if possible, avoid printed indicia such as letters and abbreviations indicating discrete, discrete optical values.

[0095]

[Table 2]

[0096]

[Table 3]

Examples 7-11 L, a, b values and opacity are measured on several non-fibrous and fibrous casings made of regenerated cellulose. Examples 7-10 are comparative examples (not examples of the invention) and Example 11 is an example of the invention. In Examples 7 and 8, measurements were made on the reel stock casing. This was an unshirred casing that was not shirred. Examples 9-11 all utilized pleated casings that were unshirred and smoothed according to the process described above. L, a, b and opacity values were measured for the unshirred and unshirred casings and the data are reported in Table C. This series of examples is
Figure 3 shows the effect of unraveling and smoothing on L, a, b and opacity measurements according to the method shown. The method used was
The L, a, b and opacity tests were as described above except as noted herein. The reel stock casing was directly metered, ie no extraction was required. Reel stock casing samples are generally smooth enough for direct measurement. The pleated samples were unshirred and smoothed according to the process described above. Five casing samples were tested and two measurements were taken for each sample. The L, a, b and opacity values listed in Table C are the average of 10 measurements.

[0098]

[Table 4]

Comparing Example 9 with Example 7, the values of L, a, b and opacity are similar for the reel stock (not pre-shirred) casing and the unshirred casing smoothed by the above process. I understand. Similarly, a comparison of Examples 8 and 10 with blue colored reel stock and unshirred casings shows similar values for L and a. The deviations in opacity and b-value are thought to be due to slightly different amounts of pigment in the measured casing samples.

Example 11 of the invention is Example 7 containing no colorant.
and a second vertical portion (with no colorant added) having almost the same values of L, a, b and opacity as in Figure 9. The first elongated section of Example 11 had L, a, b and opacity values indicative of the colorants used in Examples 8 and 10. The difference in values is believed to be primarily due to the different pigment loadings.

In Examples 7-11, especially when comparing the "no colorant added" portion of Example 11 with Examples 7 and 9,
Similar L, a, b and opacity values were obtained for unshirred and unshirred casings, and the casings were otherwise similar by following the test procedures described herein. It is considered that it will be shown. Variations in colorant loading and other parameters such as casing moisture and thickness can affect the measured values.

The inventive non-fibrous casing of Example 11 was
The first and second portions have an average difference in opacity of 5.4, with the first portion being more opaque (larger opacity value). The differences in L, a, and b values for the first and second portions were 16.9, 12.6, and 20.7, respectively. The "clear" second elongate section had a transverse width of about 9/16 inches and the blue colored first section had a transverse width of about 17/16 inches. The surface area ratio of the first longitudinal section to the second longitudinal section was approximately 2.5:1. This non-fibrous casing was suitable for filling foods such as meat sausages and had the advantages described above with respect to the non-fibrous reel stock casing of Example 5.

Different embodiments, improvements and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing examples, detailed description and drawings, and all such improvements, embodiments and modifications are defined by the claims. is considered to be within the scope of this invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram representing a method of manufacturing a casing according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing laminar flow within the viscose coalescent tube.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the casing of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the casing of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a casing of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a packaged food product according to the invention.

Claims (62)

[Claims] 1. A cellulosic food casing comprising an elongated cellulosic thin-walled tube having a moisture content of less than 100% by weight based on the weight of bone dry cellulose (BDC), comprising: The tube has first and second elongated portions and a colorant or opacifying agent distributed longitudinally and continuously through the tube wall in at least one of said portions, and in addition to said at least one portion. and wherein said portion has a surface area ratio of said first portion to said second portion of at least about 1:1 or greater; and a second portion having L, a, b and opacity values that meet at least one of the following conditions: i) the average opacity value of the first portion is equal to or less than the second portion; ii) the difference in average opacity of said first portion and said second portion is less than 10; iii) the difference in average opacity of the first portion and the second portion is at least about 5. at least about 10 or greater, and the sum of the absolute values of a and b of the first portion after extraction of the casing with water and methanol is at least 10. 2. The casing of claim 1, wherein the casing has an average opacity value of the first portion that is at least about 0.5 greater than an average opacity value of the second portion. 3. The casing has a difference of less than 10 in average opacity between the first portion and the second portion, and the L value or the a value between the first portion and the second portion. or a difference of at least about 5 in any of the b values. 4. The casing has a difference in average opacity of at least about 10 or more between the first portion and the second portion and the second portion after extraction of the casing with water and methanol. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the sum of the absolute values of a and b of one part is at least 10. 5. The casing of claim 2, wherein the average opacity value of the first portion is at least about 1.0 greater than the average opacity value of the second portion. 6. The average opacity value of the first portion is at least about 2 greater than the average opacity value of the second portion.
The casing according to claim 2, which is 0.0 larger. 7. The average opacity value of the first portion is at least about 9 greater than the average opacity value of the second portion.
The casing according to claim 2, which is 0.0 larger. 8. The casing of claim 3, wherein said difference in any of the values of L, a, or b is at least about 10. 9. The casing of claim 3, wherein the difference in any of the values of L, a, or b is at least about 20. 10. The casing of claim 3, wherein the difference in any of the values of L, a, or b is at least about 50. 11. The difference in average opacity is about 2.
The casing according to claim 8, wherein the casing is less than 0. 12. The difference in average opacity is about 5.
The casing according to claim 8, wherein the casing is less than 0. 13. The casing of claim 4, wherein the difference in average opacity is at least about 20. 14. The casing of claim 4, wherein the difference in average opacity is at least about 90. 15. The casing of claim 4, wherein the sum of the absolute values of a and b is at least 30. 16. The casing of claim 4, wherein the sum of the absolute values of a and b is at least 60. 17. The casing of claim 1, wherein said first elongate portion has a transverse width of at least about 50% of the circumference of said casing. 18. The casing of claim 1, wherein said first elongated portion has a transverse width of at least about 75% of the circumference of said casing. 19. The casing of claim 1, wherein said first longitudinal portion has a transverse width of at least about 90% of the circumference of said casing. 20. The casing of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the surface area of the first portion to the second portion is from about 1:1 to about 120:1. 21. The casing of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the surface area of the first portion to the second portion is from about 1:1 to about 20:1. 22. The casing of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the surface area of the first portion to the second portion is from about 1:1 to about 10:1. 23. The casing of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the surface area of the first portion to the second portion is from about 3.5:1 to about 10:1. 24. The casing of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the surface area of the first portion to the second portion is from about 10:1 to about 60:1. 25. The casing of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the surface area of the first portion to the second portion is from about 20:1 to about 40:1. 26. The casing of claim 1, wherein said second elongate portion has a transverse width of at least 3/16 inch. 27. The casing of claim 1, wherein said second elongate portion has a transverse width of at least 1/4 inch. 28. The casing of claim 1, wherein said second elongate portion has a transverse width of at least 3/8 inch. 29. The casing of claim 1, wherein said second elongate portion has a transverse width of at least 1/2 inch. 30. The casing of claim 1, wherein said second elongated portion has a transverse width of about 3/8 inch to about 1/2 inch. 31. The casing of claim 1, wherein said casing comprises non-fiber reinforced regenerated cellulose. 32. The casing of claim 1, wherein the casing is made of fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose. 33. The casing has a diameter of about 1.8 to about 3.
The casing of claim 1 having a circumference of 8 inches. 34. The casing is about 4.1 to about 21.
．． The casing of claim 1 having a circumference of 6 inches. 35. The casing of claim 31, wherein the second portion of the casing has an opacity of less than about 2.0. 36. The casing of claim 31, wherein the second portion of the casing has an opacity of less than about 1.5. 37. The casing of claim 32, wherein the second portion of the casing has an opacity of less than about 35. 38. The casing of claim 32, wherein the second portion of the casing has an opacity of less than about 20. 39. The casing of claim 1, wherein the second portion is a substantially optically uniform, single, continuous portion. 40. The casing of claim 1, wherein the first portion is a single, continuous portion that is substantially optically uniform. 41. The casing has a diameter of about 0.7 to about 2.
32. The casing of claim 31 having a thickness of 0 mils. 42. The casing has a diameter of about 2.5 to about 4.
33. The casing of claim 32 having a thickness of 0 mils. Claim 43: The casing is about 20% to about 40%
32. The casing of claim 31 having a moisture content of % BDC. Claim 44: The casing comprises about 4% to about 25%
33. The casing of claim 32 having a moisture content of BDC. Claim 45: The casing is about 26% to about 70%
33. The casing of claim 32 having a moisture content of %BDC. 46. The casing of claim 1, wherein the casing is pleated. 47. The casing of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the tube includes a colorant distributed throughout the tube wall. 48. The casing of claim 47, wherein the colorant is a water-insoluble pigment. 49. The casing of claim 1, further comprising a food product contained within said tube. 50. The casing of claim 49, wherein the casing is non-fibrous and the food product is a meat emulsion. 51. The casing of claim 1, wherein said first and second portions extend continuously longitudinally from one end of said casing to the other end. 52. The casing of claim 1 having a length of at least one foot. 53. The casing of claim 1, wherein said tube is constructed from regenerated cellulose and said colorant or opacifier is dispersed within the regenerated cellulose prior to regeneration. 54. The casing of claim 53, wherein the regenerated cellulose is made of viscose and the viscose contains the colorant or opacifier in a portion thereof. 55. Filling a casing as defined in claim 1 with a meat emulsion to form a packaged sausage, heat treating the packaged sausage and passing the second longitudinal section of the casing through the second longitudinal section of the casing. A method of monitoring color development in a packaged sausage product comprising monitoring color development of a packaged sausage during heat treatment by observing color changes on the surface of the packaged sausage. 56. The method of claim 55, further comprising adjusting at least one parameter of the heat treatment step in response to monitoring said color development. 57. A food casing comprised of a pleated elongated tube at least 50 feet in length having adjacent first and second elongate portions at least 4 inches in length, the food casing comprising: , at least one colorant or opacifier is dispersed through the tube wall into at least one portion of the portions to provide the portion with different optical values than other portions, and a second portion is disposed in the first portion. said food casing having a transverse width less than or equal to the transverse width of said first and second parts, wherein said first and second parts have L, a, b and opacity values that meet at least one of the following conditions: i) said first the average opacity value of the portion is at least about 0.5 greater than the average opacity value of the second portion, ii) the difference in average opacity of the first portion and the second portion is less than 10 and the difference in their respective average values of either said L value or said a value or said b value of said first and said second portions is at least about 5, iii)
the difference in average opacity between the first portion and the second portion is at least about 10 or greater, and the a of the first portion after extraction of the casing with water and methanol;
The sum of the absolute values of and b is at least about 10. 58. The casing of claim 57, wherein said tube is a regenerated cellulose fiber reinforced tube. 59. The casing of claim 57, wherein the tube is a regenerated cellulose non-fiber reinforced tube. 60. The casing of claim 57, wherein the tube has an average thickness of less than about 4 mils. 61. The casing of claim 57, wherein the tube has an average thickness of less than about 2 mils. 62. A method of manufacturing a regenerated cellulose casing having optically different adjacent portions, comprising: (a
a) combining a plurality of viscose streams under laminar flow conditions, at least one of such viscose streams having a colorant or opacifying agent dispersed therein; and (b) condensing and regenerating said viscose through an extrusion nozzle. extruded into a means to form a regenerated cellulose tube;
(c) washing, plasticizing and adjusting the moisture content of said tube to form a cellulose casing suitable for filling with a meat emulsion and processing into sausages, said tube having a weight of absolute dry cellulose; and wherein the tube has first and second elongate sections, wherein the section has a moisture content of less than 100% by weight based on L having a surface area ratio of 1 part to the second part, and the first part and the second part meet at least one of the following conditions;
The above method with a, b and opacity values: i) the above first
ii) the average opacity value of the first portion is at least about 0.5 greater than the average opacity value of the second portion;
and the difference in average opacity of the portion and the second portion is less than 10, and each average of either the L value or the a value or the b value of the first and second portions. iii) the difference in average opacity of the first portion and the second portion is at least about 10 or more, and after extraction of the casing with water and methanol; part a and b
the sum of the absolute values of is at least about 10.